Shonen Jump Creator Pushes Back Against Manga Gate-Keeping in New Post
The manga industry is getting bigger by the day, and right now, its markets know no bounds. In the United States, manga sales continue to outperform comics with ease, and those numbers are growing thanks to digital sales. It seems publications like Shonen Jump can be binged just about anywhere, and its readership's diversity is growing fast as such. And if you try to gate-keep manga these days, well – one Shueisha creator has something to say about that.
The whole thing came to light courtesy of Yuji Kaku, the creator of Hell's Paradise and Ayashimon. This week, the artist ended the latter series and posted a slew of artwork hyping the finale. This led some fans to go through Kaku's tweets, and one user shared their support with the artist after learning Kaku caught COVID-19 again earlier this year.
That is not correct.
— 賀来ゆうじ (@ug_kaku) May 31, 2022
We are drawing for all kinds of people.
Even you！
However, things took a turn there. As you can see above, another user commented on the well-wish by saying Kaku and other manga creators do not make content for foreigners. That is when Kaku stepped in. The artist gently corrected the assumption and assured anyone reading that mangaka make stories for every sort of person.
"That is not correct. We are drawing for all kinds of people. Even you," they wrote.
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As you can imagine, fans shared the post online as soon as it went live. Foreign readers were quick to admit the support felt nice, especially given how much manga has grown internationally. For instance, in the United States, manga sales routinely top those of other graphic novels and comics with ease. Sites like MangaPlus have also made it easier for fans to access the industry's top series, so you can see why Kaku's comment was embraced so quickly. After all, art knows no borders, and the only roadblocks it faces are those gates put up by consumers themselves.
What do you think of this Twitter exchange? Do you still see issues with gate-keeping in the manga fandom? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.